Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-13
NEW YORK LETTER.
rRx PEOPLE ARD rsg ADJUSTMENTS
OF GOTHAM.
Some New MoseyedC hieftsips-Robbeao Of
Bis Birthright~ A Queer Ath.
lete-Photograyhy

NEw NoRS, February u, 1887.
One Of the rising financial powers OF
New York was civil engineer in the
service of on Ohio railroad before the
war. A broker pointed him out the
other day, indicating n tell, powerfully
built man about fifty years Of age. IL
was General Samuel Thomas. II is
said that an invention comes when the
age needs IL, and similarly it may be
said that the right men invariably
come 20 the front in war or business
when the time is ripe. During the
civil war Thomas raised regiment, OF
which he naturally became colonel, and
he was mustered ont after the war a
Lrigadier-genc Of volunteers. He IL
man Of a.rlblo manners, end Is
highly spoken OF in Wall street,
not only because OF his financial
acumen, hut his Centies manly cour-
tesy. There is nothing of the rich boor
about him; nothing Of the purse-proud
ignoramus who thinks the clink OF
gold is the music OF the spheres. He
is a man of education; he IS not
mere hunter OF gold. After the war he
neer, but finally driftod to New York,
became interestedin southern railroads
and now he is one of the miilionaires
of the city. He is worth about 81, Co.,
coo. He is man about SIX feet in
height. weighs 1870 pounds, Of compact
build. and looks like man with
good many years of energetic life be-
fore him. He lives in fine style near
Central Park. He is not in the usual
sense club-man, but he belongs 10 the
Union League he is president of the
East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia
railroad, and is largely interested
in the Richmond and West Point Ter
minal. the Richmond and Danville, the
Memphis and Charleston, and other
southern roads whose rails catch n
golden CLEAN from the rich trade OF
the phenomenally-growing South. He
is one of the pioneers IN the railroad
development of region which seems
destined to rule the iron markets OF
this country. II seems safe to predict
for the South, moreover, more di-
versifed agricultural Prominence
glost advance ON the "one-cTOp in
dustry of former times The tale OF
Aladdin is hardly more wonderful than
the magical leap OF the South, the
Frosporo OF these later days, from the
dust Of utter defeat and ruin to a
shining height in the world of trade.
1t has had its "rempcst -; it now has
its propitious seas, not incarnadlned
with tie blood-red hand of war, but
smiling on a Thousand projects of trade
undreamed Of in the drowsy times of
slavery.
Calvin s. Ericc is another New York
millionaire who owes his wealth to
southern enterprises. lie, like General
Thomas, has his office in the. Astor
building, on Wall street, a commercial
palace in the renaissance style--an ~
chiteoturnl gem and thoroughly fire
proof. 1t is really worthy in its wayot
the most luxurious days OF the Medici
or the Doges OF Venice. Mr.. Brice,
who is prominentlyident with COM
mercial projects which would have made
medieval princes stare, is below the
medium height, with keen, cold, blu
ish-gray eyes; square, firmly-set, and
prominent jaw, indicating great de-
cisiOn of character, and IA large head
set well down ON broad Shout
ders. He wears 4 sandy beard closely
trimmed, which gives him certain
grimness Of aspect, recalling the stern.
religious rtformer after whom his pre-
sumably pious parents named him. He
is courteous i'll his bearing toward most
people, though with certain touch Of
that commercial abruptness or brusque-
ness noticeable in most persons who
follow business pursuits. He was born
in Lima, Ohio, about forty-eight years
ago, and was educated as a lawyer. he
is resolute, quick, and able. He came
TO New York and drfted into railroad
affairs about zen years ago. Now he IS
worth y, 900, coo. Ills fortune may III
crease five or ten fold before he retires.
He is now the vice-president Of the
East Tennessee railroad and is di-
rector in numerous other railways of
the South. He lives in fine style on
Fifth avenue and is a member OF the
Union League.
fused to see on the Cotton Exchange
tall, soldierly-looking man standing
in The shouting crowd OF brokers like d
cliff beaten upon Ivy futile waves. The
face was firm, not to say grim, with q
look of determination which no turn OF
the market could change. 1t was John
II. Imam. He came here shortly after
the war with less than 500; now he IS
worth S2,C00 coo or 5000, 900. Ia
ten years he will probably be worth
S10.0O.CO0 Ve engaged IN the cot
ton business after serving some years
as a clerk, end laid the foundations OF
his fortune by q very simple method
namely, what is known IN the trade as
thanking on cotton" That is to say,
he brought cotton 70 New York and
sold il for future delivery at "a pre-
MUM, which, masking allowance for
carving charges, insured him profit.
II is said that he did this Tor two or
three years without any one discover
ing his method, ct once 50 shrewd ana
so simple. He hos fnc Offices ia tn
Cotton Exchange Building, but does
not ray so much personal attention -
the details Of his cotton business as
formerly. lie is looming up as one q
the railroad magnates and iron barons
Of tie South. he is heavily interested
in tbs Louisville and Nashville, the
Richmond and Danyille, the Richmond
and West Point Terminal, the Georgia
Pacific, the Macon and C0yington, and
other southern railroads, rs well as
the Tennessee Coal and Iron Com
pany. the Birmingham iron manu-
factories, and other enterprises OF
great promise. lie subscribed for the
entire loan Of 1 per cent. bonds issued
by the City OF Atlanta, where, By the
way, he also has large real estate IN
vestments. He is staunch Democrat
and member, ! understand, OF the
Manhattan Club. He lives in good
style in this city on one of the fash
ionsble thoronghfarcs, and also owns a
msnsion st Newport, which he bought
several years ago for 100000. Durine
the civil war lac was Quartermaster
clerk in the Confederate army, and he
EMPLOYS bis old quarterinaster as one
of his brokers at the Cotton Exchange.
He is one Of the shrewdest, rs he isoal
of the most courageous, of New York